Sunshine...

It's raning now and the the day is so cloudy. Sometimes you miss the rain when the sun is too bright. But when the time is like this, raining heavily, you wish to see the sun shine. Maybe it's because you want to get rid of the gloomy mood the the rain brings. Or maybe it's because I am a Gemini that often has two minds about anything going on. I guess it's true what people say about the sign Gemini, one person with two personalities. I am proud to be a Gemini though =) However, what I am trying to say here is that there will always be bright light at the ened of the tunnel. After the rain, you can see the rainbow. Afther the rain, you can see the sun shining out again. After the gloomy mood you have, there will always be something or someone that can brighten you up. Therefore, you can always say that the sun will always shine again. Here I also post a story about finding things that can bring you brighter days.

Plato's Cave

In the book The Republic, Plato tells the story of prisoners of war that were held captive in a cave for such a long period of time, they could not remember their lives before their captivity. These men were forced to face the back of the cave wall for decades, while a fire burned behind them for illumination. The only objects that the prisoners could ever see were the cave wall, their own shadows and the shadows of the beasts guarding them. This was both terrifying and paralyzing for the men.

One day, one of the men found the courage to look back at the fire and the beast guarding them. What he found were ordinary men guarding over them. The guards had cut-outs of monsters and projected the shadows to the back of the cave where the prisoners were held. This was the easiest and most effective way for the guards to control the prisoners.

The knowing prisoner found an opportunity to escape the cave and did so as soon as he could. When the free man stepped out the cave, he could not believe his eyes. The sun, that he now remembered, was much brighter than the cave fire. He smelled the flowers, remembering their scent from his youth.

The free man watched as people went about their daily lives, remembering his life before captivity.The free man was overwhelmed with the joy of remembering his former life, his real life. The free man wanted to free his fellow prisoners as soon as he could and planned his quest. The next day at an opportune time the free man made his way back to the cave. When he found the guards away from their posts, the free man sprang into action. Running to his fellow prisoners and telling them of everything he discovered to be real, both inside and outside the cave. He told his friends of the cut-out monsters that terrified them. About the sun outside the cave that was much brighter than the fire that illuminated the cave.

The free man told his friends about all the wonderful things he had discovered again in his new found freedom.After hearing everything the free man had to say, the prisoners showed disbelief, mockery, and hatred toward the free man. They thought, how could this man know better than they did? How dare the man pretend to know more than they did.The free man left the prisoners in the cave and walked back out into his freedom.

In today's world, we are allowed to walk anywhere we want to inside the cave, its encouraged. The cut-out monsters are projected on every wall, floor and ceiling as well. Our scary shadows come from the same place that lights our cave. TV, Radio, Internet, Newspaper etc.. Once we free ourselves from the Maya (Illusion) we can walk back outside the cave and remember who we truly are, again. The first step for the free man was to recognize the Maya. The second step was to understand who he was not. The third step was to understand who he was, to "Know Thyself."As far as us going back into the cave to save our fellow prisoners...the Illusion is slowly fading away. Many will cling onto, "the good old days." Cling onto the projections of shadows that were on their cave walls. Others will finally leave the cave and find a sun brighter than the cave fire and a SELF greater than they could have ever imagined.

(source: selfgrowth.com - images: designismine, decor8blog)

phtography...

I just found two more pictures from one of my favourites photographer, Tim Walker.

Sugar Puffs (Chouquettes)

This recipe is from SmittenKitchen.com. I'm planning on making this sugar puffs this afternoon=) Hopefully I can do it correctly.

Ingredients: (Makes about two dozen)

• 1 cup (250 ml) water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 6 tablespoons (90 grams) unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
• 1 cup (135 gram) flour
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• Glaze: 1 egg yolk whisked with 1 teaspoon milk
• Toppings: Pearl sugar and/or miniature chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a cookie sheet with a reusable nonstick baking mat or parchment paper.
2. Heat the water, salt, sugar, and butter in a meduim saucepan, stirring, until the butter is melted. Remove the pot from the heat heat and dump all the flour in at once. Mix vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
3. Let the dough cool for five minutes, then briskly beat in the eggs, one at a time, until the dough is smooth and shiny. [At this point you can cover the pot and chill it in the fridge for up to a day.]
4. Using two spoons, a piping bag fitted with a wide tip, a zip-lock bag with a one-inch corner cut off or a spring-loaded large cookie scoop, pipe or scoop the dough into walnut-sized mounds spaced evenly on the baking sheet.
5. Brush the top of each mound with some of the egg glaze then press coarse sugar crystals or miniature chocolate chips over the top and sides of each mound. You want to be generous because the puffs will expand a lot, and you’ll want that area to be covered.
6. Bake the cream puffs for 20 to 35 minutes, or until puffed and well-bronzed.
7. Do ahead: Sugar puffs are best the day that they’re made. I find if they’re stored overnight in an airtight container, they get damp on top and the sugar and chips will slide off, though you can easily re-crisp them in the oven If you can deal with them being a bit dryer on day two you can leave them out unwrapped. Chouquettes can also be frozen in a freezer bag for up to a month, and re-crisped in the oven once defrosted.In addition, you can store the unpiped/scooped dough in the fridge for up to a day.
   

   

   

home office...

I don't know what to say when I look at this home office...Speechless!!! I can only stare at it...

Bento..

According to wikipedia, Bentō (弁当 or べんとう ?) is a single-portion takeout or home-packed meal common in Japanese cuisine. A traditional bento consists of rice, fish or meat, and one or more pickled or cooked vegetables as a side dish. I think in a simpler meaning it could also means a lunchbox. I think this kind of bento is very good for children. So they don't look inside the food itself but the shape of the food. In fact, Bento is considered as an art form in Japan. Japanese women spend a good part of their mornings preparing bento for their families. There is even a competition among mothers to see who can make cutest bento. Would this bento makes you even more hungry that you want to eat it all or does it make you feel a bit scared of eating it? Scared that you might make a mess of the bento because the bento is co cute=) However, this bento will surely brings joy when someone open the box and surely can bring health for the person by eating healthy food.

(images from here)

Sign compatibility

I am a Gemini and so is my boyfriend. So, I came acroos one web that can tell the compatibility of a couple or so they say=) Just for fun...I type my sign and his sign, this is what it came up with. It's good, not bad.

Gemini & Gemini:

There are two sets of twins in this pairing. You both love to flirt, talk, socialize, travel, and are curious about a wide range of subjects. Restless and bored easily, your challenge will be to stop talking long enough to access your feelings to create a deeper intimacy. You need to plunge into stormy emotional waters that occasionally arise in every relationship.
Without the courage to explore the depths of your feelings, your relationship will remain shallow and lack commitment. However, if each of you can be still and listen to your hearts, your relationship will be a source of inspiration and laughter to you both.